Flyers lose to Avalanche in a shootout

DENVER - The Flyers' five-game road winning streak was snapped Monday night, but they used some late theatrics to salvage a point at the Pepsi Center.

Colorado escaped with a 3-2 shootout win, scoring on all three shots against Ilya Bryzgalov after the overtime.

"I hate shootouts," Bryzgalov said after the Avs' sixth straight home win.

Danny Briere and James van Riemsdyk scored in the shootout, but Matt Read's shot hit the crossbar.

Ryan O'Reilly had the game-winner in the shootout.

With their goalie pulled for an extra skater, the Flyers tied it with 18.1 seconds left. Wayne Simmonds was credited with the goal, but replays appeared to show it was Briere who scored on a wraparound.

"In a way, we're happy to get a point, but we only played half a game . . . and when you don't play 60 minutes, you're not going to win," defenseman Kimmo Timonen said.

Bryzgalov made a great stop with about two minutes left in overtime, turning aside Shane O'Brien after he got behind the defense.

Earlier, an innocent-looking pass appeared to deflect off the skates of the Flyers' Tom Sestito and the Colorado Avalanche's T.J. Galiardi and into the net with 43.3 seconds left in the second period, giving the home team a 2-1 lead.

"I was disappointed in our second period," coach Peter Laviolette said. "We gave up too many chances."

Colorado backup goalie J.S. Giguere stopped 31 of 33 shots.

The Flyers' first goal was scored by Scott Hartnell, who in the last month has gone from the fans' whipping boy to one of the team's most popular players.

Credit his goal-scoring spree. And his carefree, giving attitude.

More than most players, Hartnell has had problems staying on his feet during games. His pratfalls have become so frequent that fans keep track of his falls on Twitter, using the #HartnellDown hashtag.

Instead of being upset, Hartnell has embraced the idea and poked fun at himself. He even designed a Hartnell Down T-shirt that is sold online, with proceeds going to charity.

Hartnell's happy-go-lucky attitude seems to have carried onto the ice, where he is in the best groove of his career.

The veteran winger scored a power-play goal late in the first period Monday to give the Flyers a 1-0 lead.

It was his 10th goal in the last 14 games, and his seventh power-play tally, tying him for fourth in the NHL.

The Avs scored two goals in the final 7:34 of the second period - one on a pass that deflected off two players - to take a 2-1 lead against the injury-plagued visitors.

The Flyers have become Concussion Central in the NHL.

Counting Ian Laperriere, who hasn't played in two seasons, the Flyers have five players out with concussions or head injuries. Hence, their lineup on Monday resembled the Adirondack Phantoms'.

The patchwork lineup included Sestito, who made his Flyers debut, and center Ben Holmstrom. Both were recalled from the Phantoms.

They were added to a team that recently has included rookies Read, Harry Zolnierczyk, Zac Rinaldo, Marc-Andre Bourdon, Sean Couturier and Kevin Marshall. Couturier was sidelined because of a head injury Monday, and Marshall was returned to the Phantoms.

The Flyers were coming off their most lopsided loss of the season, Saturday's 6-0 defeat to visiting Boston.

Laviolette thought it might work to his team's advantage.

"To me, it's 'Show some character and get back on track here,' " Laviolette said before the game.

"[Jaromir] Jagr did a good job of keeping the puck in," Hartnell said of his goal. "Instead of throwing it on the boards, he threw it on net. The puck took a good bounce and went right to [linemate Jakub Voracek] and we had a quick two-on-one at the net. Jake made a great pass between the guy's skates, and I had an open net."